Newent 2nd XV 5 Stroud Nomads 3
NEWENT beat Gloucestershire Reserve League Division One North league leaders Stroud Nomads with the final play of a game which was low on scoring but high in entertainment and drama.
The home side came close to scoring in the opening minutes after a lovely show and go from fly half Olly Wood split the Stroud defence and prop Dave Boon barged his way to the line, but the referee ruled that he'd been stopped just short.
It took Stroud a while to get into the Newent half with number eight Rob Matts and scrum-half Joe Ashenford linking well.
The dangerous Newent backs had plenty of opportunity to run and last ditch tackling, especially by the Nomads back row of Tom Flanagan, Rob Matts and Neil Broadbent, kept their try line intact.
As the first half progressed the Stroud three-quarters eventually made inroads into the Newent 22, where Ashenford kicked a straightforward penalty.
Newent returned to the attack but couldn't find a way to breach the Stroud defence before half-time.
The second half continued in much the same vein, with Newent attacking through forwards and backs but unable to break the superb Stroud defence.
The penalty count started to rack up against the visitors, but twice kicks at goal went wide.
After the introductions of fly half Iain Bushell, back after being injured in the home game against Newent, and centre James Norbury, the Nomads attacked from inside their own half.
With 10 minutes remaining Stroud were awarded a penalty inside their own half. A quick break by Ashenford took play into the Newent half and from the resulting line out a good three-quarter movement gave Nomads an overlap, but with the line begging the final pass was dropped and so the chance of increasing their lead.
Twice Newent turned down very kickable penalties in favour of attacking scrums and were rewarded for their enterprise when Barney Goatley finally found a way through the Stroud defence to crash over wide on the left for the winning try.
Stroud's next match is at home against Dings Crusaders 3rd XV in the Reserve League Cup on Saturday, 2.30pm.
The firsts did not have a game last weekend and are away at Hucclecote in Gloucester Premier on Saturday, 2.30pm.
